Panel discussion at Metro explores threats to Voting Rights Act

April 17, 2017

Terence Blanchard speaks during the April 10 panel discussion on the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Left to right are Simona Epuran, Julian Rogers, Jimi Izrael, Blanchard, R.A. Washington and Dr. Lauren Onkey.

Grammy-winning trumpeter and Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland artist-in-residence Terence Blanchard was part of an April 10 panel discussion focusing on the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Joyce Foundation last year commissioned Blanchard to compose a piece about the act. Monday’s discussion was part of his information-gathering process.

“It’s unfortunate that we even needed to have a voting rights act, but it speaks to where we were at as a country, where we still are,” Blanchard said.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It has been under assault overtly and covertly. In 2013, for example, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to strip some of its protections, claiming they were no longer relevant.

Last week’s discussion was wide-ranging and touched on racism, generational disagreements and the value of civic engagement. Most agreed that overcoming voter disenfranchisement and voter cynicism was key.